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1st congressional district: Finstad vs. Johnson attack ads
FOX 9's Corin Hoggard fact checks the political ads between Rep. Brad Finstad and Jake Johnson, who are both running for the congressional district one seat.
(FOX 9) - The ad war in Minnesota's first congressional district is getting sharper as both campaigns push claims that are getting pushback.
What the campaign ads are saying
Campaign commercials are filling TV and social media in a race that could be close, and this match up has turned into one of the biggest examples.
Finstad ties Johnson to Walz:
Ads from incumbent Congressman Brad Finstad try to make Tim Walz a problem for challenger Jake Johnson. "Johnson is bankrolled by Walz because Johnson is Walz's guy," the ad said.
Johnson's ad:
Johnson's ads lean into farmers' fears. "Our congressman Brad Finstad took $20,000 from a Chinese corporation that's buying up our farmland and voted to let them buy even more," the ad said.
The Johnson commercial refers to a $20,000 donation to Finstad from Chinese-owned Syngenta. Johnson's campaign claims Finstad then voted against cracking down on Chinese ownership of American farmland.
Why both ads are getting pushback
Questions on farmland claim:
Minnesota's Democratic delegation opposed the same bill at the time. Finstad has also voted to step up scrutiny of foreign ag investment.
"That claim is rich coming from a guy whose campaign is bankrolled by Tim Walz, who has longstanding ties to China," Finstad's campaign said.
Questions on edited image:
Finstad's ad shows Johnson and Walz side by side, with Johnson giving a thumbs-up. That thumbs-up came from when Johnson met small business owner Beth Benike after she says she tried and failed to get help on tariffs from U.S. Rep. Finstad.
"That's where the original photo came from," said Beth Benike, founder of Busy Baby.
Critics say the Finstad ad erased Benike and replaced her with Walz in a way that could violate Minnesota's political deepfake law.
How the campaigns and others responded
Campaigns stand by claims:
"We have not violated any laws with our ad that highlights the facts that Governor Walz is endorsing and funding Jake Johnson," Finstad's campaign said.
"Brad Finstad is fabricating fake photos because he can’t defend his record," Johnson's campaign said. "He’s trying to trick people, but the voters of southern Minnesota won’t be distracted from Finstad’s votes to raise prices, continue the Iran War, and give tax breaks to data center companies."
Weighing in:
"What I don't understand is why. What's the point? Why make up a photo? Why do that at all?" said Benike. "For someone who is campaigning about stopping fraud, why commit fraud in your ad to be re-elected?"
"Each campaign is running tough campaign ads looking to charge up their supporters and portray their opponents as really unappealing," said Dr. Larry Jacobs, a University of Minnesota political science professor.
Both candidates had more than $500,000 cash on hand in their most recent campaign finance reports, so there is a good chance the ads could keep coming.
The Source: FOX 9's Corin Hoggard reported this story using campaign ads, campaign statements, campaign finance reports and interviews with Beth Benike and Dr. Larry Jacobs.